Author: Mazerine, Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:16 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

After the pair had discussed the happenings with the artifact and could come to no conclusion, and Douken had suggested they meet with this Professor Zuuli when they arrived in Iria, calling it a night had been the best bet. When she was cold in the night, Douken had wrapped his arm around her, the two sleeping through the remainder of the night nestled into one another.

Morning came and the sun was shining brightly through the large windows of their suite. Mazerine snuck herself out from underneath Douken’s arm, miraculously without waking, and climbed out of bed. She paused for a moment, turning to glance back at him, a small smile on her face. She took a moment to recall what had taken place before they had turned in, and she found herself rather glad that the two had shared such a moment while neither of them had been under any sort of influence, other than perhaps their proximity.

She took a while to get dressed, in a pair of leggings and a tunic - she was dressing for comfort rather than glamor this day. She pulled her hair into a simple braid, pulled her somewhat worn yet still very comfortable boots on, and made her way back into the bedroom where her companion was still asleep. She gently woke him, and gave him a few minutes to ready himself for the day, waiting for him in the common area of the suite.

When he met her, the pair went off to have a simple breakfast. After the previous day’s rather trying difficulties, Mazerine suggested that maybe the pair just have a simple stroll around the different decks for a while. Thanks to her strike from the previous day’s events, they were not able to enter any other suites, but that didn’t hinder the type of walk that Mazerine wanted to go on. They had seen a lot of the ship already, but she was sure there was still more to be seen.

They made their way to the main deck with the glass dome, and Mazerine basked in the sunshine for a bit, the warmth feeling rather delightful on her skin. Neither of them had mentioned the passionate moment they had shared the night before, but as they left the domed area, Mazerine reached over and laced her fingers in his, not looking at him or saying anything, but she smiled softly as she felt his hand interlock with her own.

The pair rounded a corner into an empty hallway, one of the alternate routes to get to the lounge area. “Maybe some tea?” she suggested, and they began to make their way toward the lounge - that is, until a familiar yet unwelcome face stepped out from one of the doorways. Karma, the man who had caused them so much trouble the day before, looked at the pair with an expression of intermingled disgust and anger.

Mazerine gripped Douken’s hand a bit tightly, clearly uncomfortable with the duke’s appearance. “Well, well, well,” Karma began, sneering slightly at them. “Perfect for each other, I suspect. A worthless explorer and a damnable whore,” he said, nearly spitting the words at them. “Fortunately for me, I’ll never have to see your wretched likes again,” he said, simrking.

Before Mazerine could open her mouth to say anything, Karma made a sudden motion with his hands, and the floor below the pair began to swirl - the duke had cast a gate spell on them. Mazerine wrenched her hand from Douken’s, attempting to counteract the spell - but it was too late.

The gate had pulled them from the ship and transported them to a location near one of the shores of Nyella Ocean, fortunately dropping them only a couple of feet before they splashed into the water. Either Karma hadn’t intended for the fall into the water to kill them, or his aim had been off… Or perhaps he expected them to survive the drop, only for the creatures of Nyella to do them in… Either way, they were no longer aboard the ship, and it seemed they had much bigger problems to deal with than the artifact now.

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:59 AM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

"We have only had it for a few days," Douken did comment in. As far as they know, the flower had rested within a pocket dimension, waiting for someone to perform the "act of sacrifice" knowing they would come back to retrieve it, meaning the item had slept for ages without anything to really act upon. Either way, a feeling in his gut told him that it did not simply turn on to entertain the pair with its light show. "What it means, I am not too sure, but I do get a feeling it was reaction to… us…" Douken's cheeks shined red outside the glow of the flower, making itself much more noted when it was placed away.

"When we land, I can see about us getting an audience with Professor Zuuli at the College. While her head may be full of crazy, abstract theories, she is an expert when it comes to people and how their bodies react… Trust me, give her a meter, and she will go a mile on how a hormone would react in nearly every single instance…" He knew the lecture was coming, but maybe it was for the best. After all, while what they did would not have really been as extreme as their drunk night, it would give some possible clues.

Still, with the offer to call things a night, Douken could not help but smile and nod his head, watching her step away to swap out of the swimsuit, leaving him to do the same in the room itself, having her return to him with lighter shorts and a sleeveless top. She was first to take to the covers, leaving him to follow up and taking the vacant side, the glow of the room filling their cabin. Still, the room felt a bit chillier than it should have been. Even with the thermal blanket on top, it felt like there was some missing heat. Breaking an eye lightly open, he could sort of see Mazerine suffering the same issue, and scooted up to her side, closing the gap. There was not a reaction of shock from it, at least from what he could tell, but could feel her curl up in acceptance of his choice. With a final kiss to her forehead, Douken wrapped an arm around her, holding her close as the two slept the night away to the morning of the third day's flight.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 2:39 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Any fear that Mazerine held on whether or not Douken would react favorably to her affection was chased away as she felt his arms wrap around her, his lips shortly returning the kiss. She melted into him as he held her close and the two tumbled down. For a split second, she worried that they would regret their actions, each to themself, but that worry washed away as she felt his arms hold her close to him, and could feel his heart pounding in his chest just as her own was.

When Douken pulled away from her, she gazed into his eyes, breathing rather heavily. He stammered her name, and her eyes stayed locked with his. She was just about to reconnect with him, when she caught something out of place. She sat up, turning her head in the direction of her luggage, Douken following suit and propping himself up as well. When he moved to help her off of his waist, she pulled her leg from the other side of him and stood up from the bed, her cheeks still flushed from moments ago. She glanced from the luggage back to Douken, before turning her attention back towards her things and walking over, crouching down next to them.

She fished the box they had retrieved in the Occultatum ruins out - it was the source of the humming and the glowing. Greens and reds flickered through the gaps in the closure - she flipped the lid open and the nightshade relic was flickering brightly, switching back and forth from shades of red and shades of green rather quickly. She didn’t touch the flower, but she held her hand near it, and noticed warmth rising from it. “It’s warm,” she said, still looking at it for a moment before turning back to Douken.

“It’s never done this before, or at least not that we’ve seen,” she said, frowning slightly. She thought back to the other night for a moment - even though they had both been inebriated, they would have surely noticed bright red and green glowing lights in the pitch darkness of their room. It was curious - as though it were reacting to something in the vicinity, but for the life of her Mazerine couldn’t figure out what that would be.

She closed the lid of the box and sat down cross legged on the floor. “What do you think it could mean?” she asked, mulling over the possibilities in her head. Maybe it was something that reacted to any sort of powerful emotion - there were clearly some powerful emotions that had just been felt… or maybe it was reacting to a particular kind of emotion? Like one of the ones they had just experienced… Or perhaps it was all coincidental and its powers had been increasing since they left the ruins… Either way, they needed to get to the bottom of what it was, and making it to Iria was the next step.

“Everything I’d read and studied about those ruins… nothing ever mentioned that any of the artifacts would do anything on their own. Nothing mentioned anything at all like this. We need to get to Iria. We should only have a day or two left of the journey, shouldn’t we?” she asked, though the question was rather rhetorical.

With a sigh, she got up off the floor and stashed the box back into her luggage. “I guess there’s nothing we can really do with it right now, is there?” she asked, turning back to face him. It was at that moment she realized that she was still in her swimwear, her cheeks blushing again as she thought back to the moment the two had just shared. “Right now… I’m thinking pajamas and bed. I’ll deal with that in the morning,” she said, grinning rather sheepishly and jabbing her finger in the direction of where she had stashed the box. She gathered a few things from her luggage and disappeared, coming back a few minutes later wearing a long tunic for sleeping, the lacing at the neck done rather loosely.

She walked back to the bed, feeling a bit of a rush as she looked at the disheveledness of the blankets from their earlier activity, and smiled to herself before pulling the blankets back and climbing in, leaving plenty of room on the other side for Douken as she assumed he would end up sleeping there as well.

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Jan 9, 2018 2:34 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

While the pool was a fun, relaxing way to finish off the night and burn off their meal, the pair thought it was best for them to make sure they were ready for when they arrived. After all, their trip across the sea, in the end, was not one for leisure. There was more to their find at the ruins that they knew where to get started, so it would only make sense to see if there were anything they could note down to possibly make leads on where to go next.

After taking their time drying off and robing up, the pair kept to more simple talk as they returned to their rooms, being greeting by a near full moon and stars lighting their way inside. The night sky was always something he could not give up, even as he removed the robe around him his eyes kept to the night sky and the mysteries it held. It was not until Mazerine called to him did his eyes dart away and towards his companion, replying with, "Uh, sure," before heading over to the bed. It was neatly made during their time gone, most likely due to the butler while they were at breakfast. He didn't have to tear the entire thing up. All he had to do was untuck the heated blanket and they should be –

"Hey," caught his attention once more, turning him around as Mazerine pushed her body onto his, arms taking the back of his neck as she worked herself up to him, stealing a kiss away from his lips. His eyes were wide from the shock for only a moment before they rested shut, arms moving around her back to help push her up and ease herself on him. Without having to worry, her legs moved to keep herself there in his arms, working their way around him before a tipping point was broken, causing the two to fall over, once again caught in their own world together.

It was just like a couple nights ago outside of two factors. One of them being the swimsuits each of them had on and the lack of inhibition that guided the act. However, the passion behind it still felt the same. He could feel her heart race with excitement through her chest with his beating just as strong in return. There was nothing that tried to trick the other to think the feeling was not their own, and yet, their kiss deepened even more. His arms slowly moved up her back into an embrace, keeping her body close. It was only a moment that the pair broke for air, saliva still linking their lips together barely, but the moment felt like an eternity. "M-Maz…" was all he could get out, red in the face as he stared into her emerald eyes, who locked back into his.

However, it was also that break into reality were the pair able to pick up something in the air… something unfamiliar. A light hum filling the air and a faint glow coming from the corner of the room, reflecting off the window and catching both of their attention. Still straddled on his lap, Mazerine pulled herself up and turned her head as Douken pushed himself, both of their eyes and ears looking at her luggage, watching it resonate between a glow of red and green. Whatever was happening, it was enough to stop them from pushing even further like last time, and instead, took Mazerine off his waist to see what was causing it. Getting up, Douken followed her to see the cause only to find out it was the flower relic resonating with… something, humming loudly in their chamber as it flowed and mixed with color with a mesmerizing flow.

"T-this is a first," Douken commented, looking over at Mazerine's face, the color resonating on her cheeks. Was… was it reacting to what they just did?

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Tue Jan 9, 2018 11:55 AM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Mazerine smirked as Douken fell beneath the surface of the water, before laughing out loud. She honestly hadn’t expected him to be taken off guard - she assumed that he would see what she was up to and counteract her, sending her catapulting into the water instead. However, she had been wrong, and had managed to best him, at least this time. She crouched down slightly, waiting for him to resurface, knowing full well that some sort of retaliation would be in store for her.
She did not have to wait long, as moments later Douken sprang out of the water. The spray splashed at her face and she let out a squeal of laughter, which quickly turned into a yelp as he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the water. She submerged fully before coming up with a gasp, looking at him rather incredulously. “I can’t believe you did that!” she said, playfully splashing some water at him - clearly not actually upset at what he had done.

The two proceeded to splash about and have fun in the pool, forgetting about any drama or stressful things that had happened in the last few days. A smile was permanently plastered on Mazerine’s face throughout, and she noticed that Douken looked to be enjoying himself as well. After a while, they made the decision to head back to the room, knowing that they needed to start making a plan for when they arrived in Iria, as their voyage on the airship would be over soon. They climbed out of the pool and took a few towels, drying off as best they could before taking one of the complimentary robes that hung near the towels, each wrapping themselves in one for the walk back to their room.
The walk back to their room only took a few minutes, and when they walked through the door, the moon and stars were shining through the large windows of the cabin. Mazerine took pause after they entered, taking in the view with a smile on her face. She turned to Douken, who was also taking a moment to look above them while taking his robe off and hanging it over a chair. He didn’t seem to notice that she was looking at him, and she took a moment to just take in his appearance - his hair still damp from the pool, it clung to his head a little differently than usual, and for a brief moment she had a bit of a flash back to the moment in the closet the day before when he had almost kissed her before they had been interrupted.

“Um, Douken?” she asked while taking off her own robe, and he turned to face her. “I’m pretty cold with my hair being wet. Do you think you could go find me a blanket from the bedroom?” she asked, giving him a smile. He happily obliged and walked off to the bedroom. Swallowing slightly to push down her nervousness, Mazerine followed shortly after him. She paused in the doorway - his back was to her, and he was leaning over to pull a blanket off the bed. She took a deep breath and took a couple of steps into the doorway, until she was only a short distance from him.

“Hey,” she called out, and seemed to have caught him by surprise. He turned around to see what it was she wanted, and before either of them could say anything else, she closed the distance between them and jumped up on her tiptoes somewhat, wrapping her arms around his neck and crashing her lips into him. As though it were a reflex, his arms came around her and picked her up slightly, so that she wasn’t straining to reach him, and her legs wrapped about his waist. The momentum was enough to send him falling backward onto the bed, Mazerine with him, having decided that taking the chance to kiss him was worth it. She certainly felt something about him that had continued to grow in the time that they had been together, and now was as good of a time as any for her to find out if he was going down the same path she was. If not, she could quash the feelings down and get along with their journey, but if he did… well, that road would be crossed if they came to it.

Author: Douken, Posted: Thu Jan 4, 2018 9:40 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Douken was anticipating that they would have been guided to changing rooms with more fitters inside to make sure they had something for those who did not have anything for it in the right size. Instead, the eldest daughter who was in training to take command of the ship, in a simple flick of her wrist, had either altered their clothing on the spot while creating a copy to be sent to their room, or she froze time, swapped out their clothes within that time frame, and reverted everything back to normal without them knowing. And to think she did it so effortlessly, too, before dismissing herself to see if she needed to do it again.

Still, at the very least, the black shorts felt as smooth as the suit leggings, but at the same time were a fabric that would not be ruined by the water before them. Kneeling down, Douken dipped his hands in the water to feel the temperature, finding it to be a nice, warm temperature. Lower than the bath house water, but certainly much warmer than their last swim, being the chilled water in the ruins. When Mazerine called to him, he pulled himself back up before turning over to Maz, asking, "Wha-" before getting quickly interrupted by her shove, only getting a quick glimpse of her in what she wore as he fell into the drink.

He let himself fall deeper in as the tinge of blue covered the above ground deepened. Who would have thought she would have pulled such a stunt? This would only mean one thing: a comeback. But how? A splash would be too simple of a counter-measure, and he knew no runes to help manipulate the water itself. Besides, knowing the staff, they had measures against it to prevent using it as a weapon to drown the guests. Fake-drowning would be a no-go either as not only would that cause pointless alarm, but she knew he had the gills rune anyways. That's it… he smirked, his fingers sparking with mana as he lowered his hands to his ankles, drawing matching movement runes on them before he hit the bottom. He did not need much of a timer on them, and thus focused for on the strength it had for the quick moment.

Once he was set, feeling the power of the rooms filling his legs, Douken rested himself on the bottom before kicking off from it, pushing himself through the water from where he landed back to the surface, breaking the water in front of Mazerine, the splash most likely catching her off guard. "Gotcha," he quickly said, his arms acting as fast as he could to get any hold of her (this case being her arm) before pulling herself down with him.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Thu Jan 4, 2018 5:02 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

“Oh, thanks,” she said, her cheeks blushing a bit as Douken complimented her appearance. She watched Douken grab a large stack of pancakes and let out a bit of a laugh as he pat her on the head - it seemed that the tension that had arisen in the training area was long gone, and the two were back to enjoying one another’s company. Breakfast continued on, a small smile stuck on Mazerine’s face the whole time.

She followed Douken out of the dining area after they had finished, and much to her dismay they had made their way back to the front area of the ship, where the glass dome was located. She had to admit that the sparkling sea water below them was rather breathtaking, but she still wasn’t a fan of feeling as though she could crash through the floor at any moment - and when Douken exclaimed that he saw something move beneath the water, Mazerine jumped and instinctively stood closer to him.

She was happy to leave the area with the glass dome, grinning as they found the recreation area. It was a great place to pass time, and pass the time they did - they played right up until it was time for dinner. When they made their way to the dining hall, the smell of food filled Mazerine’s nostrils and she was rather excited to eat. She ate much more than she had during breakfast, enjoying every bite and allowing herself to have a bit of wine as well, though she did not go overboard, still feeling a bit timid about drinking considering previous events.


When they made their way to the pool, Mazerine was excited to see it - but then she immediately frowned. “How are we supposed to go swimming without bathing suits?” she asked Douken, though she was partially introduced by the attendant in the pool area. It was a bit intimidating to Mazerine that they all looked so similar, but she said nothing.

“No bother at all,” she said to the attendant with a warm smile. “I was just saying that I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t bring bathing suits with us, is all,” she said, her smile weakening a bit.

“Oh,” said the attendant, waving her hand. “That’s of no bother. Here,” she said, and with both hands made a gesture at the pair. Suddenly, they were both in swimming attire - Douken in a pair of shorts that resembled the color of the clothing he had on before, and Mazerine in a rather immodest and quite revealing two-piece suit, the same color blue as her dress. “Your clothing will be in your stateroom when you retire for the evening. Towels are over there,” she said, pointing to a stack of towels against one wall. “Enjoy yourselves,” she said with a wink. She leaned a bit closer to Mazerine, and whispered “Now and later,” she added before going to attend to another new arrival.

Mazerine turned to Douken, looking rather excited to swim - until she realized just how much of herself was exposed. She had never felt self-conscious before but did for a brief moment until she remembered exactly how silly it would be for her to be embarrassed. The pair walked towards the edge of the pool.

“Hey, Douken?” she said, and as soon as he turned to look at her, she gave him a playful shove, sending him splashing into the water. She let out a hysterical laugh and crouched down, watching him as he surfaced. “Oops, sorry!” she called, though it was clear she had done it on purpose - and was now waiting for retaliation.

Author: Douken, Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:52 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Douken could not help but chuckle at her comment, though it was more because of the flustered reaction that followed up afterwards. However, her sidestepping the topic did make him miss the point of the change and Douken smiled, telling her, "Yeah. The staff inside were insistent on the detail of, 'We are not people who should be wearing the same outfit every day, you know!' " easy for him to add on a snobbish accent in quiet. "Though I think you pull off the fancier look off better than me. Wasn't able to say it during the chaos, but that dress looks great on you."

While Mazerine fixed herself a plate of fruit, Douken was much more interested in the stacks of flapjacks placed out for people to grab. Taking a stack of four, he was sure to add syrup between each layer before a final on top, placing on the side a couple strips of bacon and strawberries. However, he was sure to pat the head of the worried elf to calm her down, telling her, "Its alright," locking his eyes onto hers before giving her a relaxed smile. "I really appreciate what you did. You stopped me from spending the entire day in a medical bay. Took it a step too far, yes…" his voice went into a bit of a whisper as he ended with, "but at least he got what he deserved," chuckling a bit, maybe enjoying that vengeance too much before returning to normal volume. "Anyways, we still got a lot of ship to explore at our own pace. Sure, that strike makes us unable to do that prank, but I am sure we can figure something out as we eat." Pouring himself a cup of tea, the two ate, talking and getting their minds away from what happened earlier before examining the first floor map, as that's what held most of what they could do.

After their breakfasts, the pair headed back out to the front region of the air ship: the glass dome, if only to help get an idea on where they were currently. Their answer was simple enough, as all that was below them was a massive spread of blue that shimmered under the morning sun: Nyella Ocean. It was a breath-taking sight to behold, that was too be sure. One that would be not as spectacular than if they were on a sea ship. "Oh hey!" Douken exclaimed as they stood near the glass dome, "I think I saw something move." This, of course, cause Mazerine to jump a bit before asking what it was. "Could have been one of the Guardians of the Sea a lot of sailors speak of… or could just be my imagination."

Once their small side-track was finished, the two headed to where they wanted to see more: the ship's recreational room. There, the room was filled with games and toys for the kids that spent their time there, leaving the staff watching the region to double as babysitters. However, it was not entirely for kids, as pool tables, the tables and balls enchanted enough so they won't be affected by any movements the ship would have. It gave them plenty to do, as long as it was not gambling or drinking, letting them swap out games the other wanted to enjoy. It also had plenty of games from other racial cultures, meaning they were easily able to enjoy human, elvish, dwarven, and even draconian games. Nothing for orcish folk… but then again, most of them thought of games as wrestling matches… Still, it did not stop them from putting up stakes they had to handle on their own time, chuckling and making notes on them, as if IOUs for their loss fees.

However, it was easy to tell the pair had gotten lost in their games as, while Mazerine cued up for her shot at the eight ball, the call for dinner was up. "Last five strikes," he told her, making sure they finished their game soon before the pair headed off for dinner. This time, they were greeted with vegetable soup in chicken stock… no… more like quail stock from the birds cooked last night. After all, a clever chef always knows how to make the best of her products. Followed by that were fillets of lemon salmon before ending the night off with red velvet cake, designed with the ship on top (Turned out today was the ship captain's birthday).

This left the pair with some final hours before they had to take to their cabins, in which they agreed to check out the other thing the pair talked about during breakfast: the pool. It was near the bath houses because of the amount of water used, but that did not mean it was the same thing. There was plenty of room for people to get around and enjoy themselves, and like the pool tables, there were seals that prevented the water from flying all over the place from the ship's movements (not that many people would know, as they were secretly designed into the decor itself). Of course, it did not stop the splashing that came from those who jumped in.

And, of course, the first person to greet them looked a lot like their butler, but, aside from being in a one piece covering her body, looked much older. "Ah, hello," she greeted the pair, "I do hope my brothers and sisters have not been too much of a bother today…"

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 2:59 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Mazerine nodded in understanding to the maid as she explained what the repercussions for her actions would be. She gave Douken a quick smile as she was led off to be given her punishment, as it were. “I’ll see you later, okay?” she said, before exiting the training area. It was nothing terrible, of course - just an explanation of what she did wrong and what her punishment would be. For receiving one strike, she was only barred from visiting rooms other than her own. She would still be able to visit all of the amenities the ship had to offer, which meant that she and Douken would still be able to enjoy the rest of their journey.

No more than an hour and a half had passed when Mazerine found her way to the dining hall, with the intention of finding Douken. She was still dressed in the same outfit she had arrived to the training hall in, and the maid had even tucked in a few stray strands of hair that had snuck out during the ordeal, telling her she had better look her best before going back to meet her ‘friend.’

“Well, that wasn’t so bad,” she said as she found Douken and sat next to him. “Slap on the wrist, really. The only thing I’m not allowed to do now is enter someone else’s room,” she explained. “Good thing we’re in the same one, right?” she asked, but very quickly her face began to turn a bright shade of red. “Well, I mean - anyway,” she said, catching herself and attempting to change the subject. “I see you got dressed all fancy to match me,” she added with a smile. “You look nice,” she said, absentmindedly placing her hand on his arm and locking her gaze onto his face for a moment, before clearing her throat and turning back towards the table, dropping her hand from his arm.

It seemed that Mazerine had arrived just in time, as numerous people dressed in off white chef coats walked out of the kitchen area, placing trays with an assortment of foods on them all around the table. Breakfast was clearly a much more casual affair than their dinner, as the different patrons in the dining area helped themselves to the numerous dishes that had been set up on the table. “So, what’s on our agenda today?” she asked, focusing her attention on fixing a plate of fruit for herself. She also poured herself a cup of tea from one of the pots that had been set out. “I’m guessing we’re going to steer clear of the training area,” she added, quietly. She fell silent as she thought back on the magic she had used against Karma, and shook her head slightly.

“I really can’t believe,” she said to Douken as she took a sip of the piping hot tea. “I mean, I know I’m capable of a lot of magic, but I had using offensive spells more than I have to,” she continued. “I just… I saw that he was going to hurt you, and I got so mad, you know?” she said, turning to look at him. “I was worried, and then… that’s what I felt like I needed to do, to make sure he didn’t hurt you.”

Author: Douken, Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:03 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Hearing the incantation ruined his talk with the kids, turning his head over to Mazerine's voice, catching Karma drop to the floor hard, disarming him of his metal blade, watching it hop off to the side. "Mazerine…" he said, turning his attention from the duke to his partner as the fallen man spoke scum to the both of them, in which Mazerine reacted with, to be fair, a terrifying spell. He had to time to tell her to stop before the spell began to revert itself suddenly, the maid watching the field stepping in, her demeanor never-changing. Well, almost as she showed a bit of bitterness towards Karma for insinuating she did not know her equipment.

Pacing himself over, Douken looked into Mazerine's face before she turned to see Karma's condition, making her comment about her thoughts of him. "Trust me, its worse when you work under him," he reminded her before sighing and looking back at the elf. "Either way, I think that was a touch too far. Still," his body moved on his own as he moved down, placing a light kiss on her cheek before smiling to her, "thanks."

"While this is a touchy moment," the maid said, stepping near the pair, "I will need to take these two to my space to let them know what is happening with their punishments. Do not worry, though, as a Strike 1 will not be enough to completely restrict your joys here on board, unlike him. However, since that means I need to be away, I will have to close the training dojo for the time being. Why don't you clean up and get some breakfast during the time being?" Nodding, Douken handed her the dagger he had in hand before the maid worked to ensure her they would be dealt with separately before working to clear the rest of the dojo, leaving Douken alone to wash up.

One simple bath later, Douken was in the massage parlor, getting his back rubbed by a female half-angel, dressed in a simple suit as she worked on his back. From there, the pair spent a bit of light talk together, Douken mentioning about the events beforehand. "Well, what do you expect from the Amberfoams? They are a strong family of fae, after all."

"Really?" Douken reacted, looking up.

"Yes. In fact, its the Amberfoams that own this ship. While the guests see them as servants for the higher families that board this ship, it is actually them with the higher power. The eldest daughter is, in fact, learning to take her father's job as pilot when he retires." There was a brief pause in the back rub before her professional face broke, suddenly studdering, "Oh, please do not treat them any better! They wish to keep it more of a secret. Oh, my loose lips…"

"Its alright. A person should be more known for their actions and personality, not their spot in society." This calmed her down to finish up the process before letting him go to the suiter who readied a fancier dress than his normal attire. It was almost a mirror case like at the festivities. Answering he never really acknowledged a family color while he was measured up, he was dressed with a simple dress suit, red vest layered underneath  the black coat. "At this rate, I may as well invest in one for keeps," he muttered to himself before giving his thanks and heading for breakfast, waiting for Mazerine to return from her "lecture."

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 12:33 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

The commotion in the training area that had drawn Mazerine’s attention had certainly not been what she was expecting. As she pushed the doors open, she had halfway expected to see nothing more than a couple of men sparring with wooden weapons - but that was not what she came across. The first sight her eyes laid upon was that impeccably rude duke that had interrupted them in the tavern on their first night aboard the ship. This time, it seemed, he was not merely speaking rudely to Douken.

Just as Mazerine entered the room, Karma had summoned a blade of steel - something that struck panic within Mazerine almost immediately. She had to act fast, as she was sure if she did not intervene that he was going to stab Douken - she could see the look in his eyes as he lunged towards him, and impulsively she held her hand out and shouted. ”Immobiles!” she cried, and a slight blue light shimmered around Karma. The blade fell from his hand and his arms fell to his side, pinned by some unseen force.

Karma’s gaze shot in the direction from which Mazerine had shouted from, and he shouted a rather insulting phrase coupled with a threat. ”Foolish whore, defending this unsophisticated swine!”” he spat. Mazerine’s eyes narrowed at this verbal jab, adrenaline still coursing through her veins, and she clenched her fist, twisting it slightly in the air. ”Interitus,” she spoke, her words coming out in nearly a hiss. With the words she spoke, the blue light surrounding him faded and he regained use of his arms, though his feet still seemed to be rooted to the spot. He opened his mouth to speak once more, but the right side of Karma’s face began showing black streaks, as though black blood coursed through his veins - and thereafter the skin began to look as though it were rotting. Karma let out a sound as he felt the pain, raising a hand to touch the affected area. He drew it away, bit of his decayed flesh stuck to his finger tips.

Just then, the decay receded from Karma’s face, his skin slowly returning to normal. Mazerine twisted her fist again, as though she were attempting to recast the spell, but nothing happened. ”Enough,” came the maid’s voice from the side - she had somehow overtaken Mazerine’s frequency of power and reversed the magic that the elf had done. In a show of defeat, Mazerine dropped her hand to the side. The maid addressed Karma next. ”The use of actual weapons in the Training Hall is forbidden, sir,” she reminded him, to which Karma spoke in protest.

”I broke no rules, only this honorless harlot has!” he claimed. ”That dagger was in the equipment I started with,” he added, to which the maid waved her hand in a dismissive motion - which sent the duke flying into a nearby pillar.

”Do you think I am unfamiliar with what supplies are in my inventory?” she asked Karma, sounding mildly annoyed. ”A strike, for you - actually, two - one for breaking the rules, and one for attempting to cover up such an infraction,” she said. She then turned to Mazerine. ”I must issue you a strike as well, for casting a spell with intent to harm,” she added, though she looked less happy about issuing the infraction to Mazerine than she did about the one she had given Karma. ”While I understand that you were merely trying to protect your… him,” she said, gesturing toward Douken. ”We do not make exceptions.”

Mazerine nodded in understanding, and with that she walked over to where Douken was. ”Are you alright?” she asked, casting her gaze to the area in which Karma was trying to keep some of his dignity as he emerged from the crumpled mess on the floor the maid had left him in. ”That duke is… well, he’s an ass,” she said, speaking frankly. She was still shaking a bit from the adrenaline. ”He just… it looked like he was going to hurt you,” she said, frowning. Her cheeks blushed as she realized that she had just tapped into some very powerful magic, just to stop Douken from being hurt.

Author: Douken, Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 10:38 AM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

It was a few moments after Mazerine had left did Douken begin to stir, letting out a long yawn before pushing himself up into a sitting position, stretching his arms out as his eyes adjusted to the morning sun that peered through the window. Other than having his shirt pushed up over night, there was no real evidence on what Mazerine did in her sleep, and even then, it was something that could have happened just by shifting around in the sheets. Either way, it was clear she was the first to wake as she was not in the room with him. If he had to make any guesses, it was to get washed up: something he should do himself.

However, before all that, he figured he could work up a sweat first. Get in a bit of morning spear-work done to help wake him up and wash off in their bathhouse so he would not smell of training for the rest of the day. Of course, doing so in his pajamas would most likely be a terrible idea, so he instead dressed in a really light outfit, simple pants and a sleeveless undershirt, while bagging his normal clothes away for afterwards. Next, he began to charge his mana to open the gate to his spear when a knock on the door rang through, interrupting his focus and giving it the attention it needed.

"Hello?" He asked, opening the door to the butler who gave him a simple bow. He was checking in to see how their first night was on the ship, along with reminding him when it would be time for breakfast and to retrieve the dress and suit the pair wore the other night. "Oh, and by the way, the rules do state that any form of personal equipment is not allowed outside your room, and use of offensive spells are limited to the Training Hall. We are always firm on this with a Three Strike policy to ensure the safety of our guests. But do not worry, we go have an arsenal of fake weapons in there for anyone to use within that area. Now if you may excuse me." With that, he left, leaving Douken blinking a bit. Did… did their butler read his mind or something?

Well, if he cannot bring his own gear, he may as well use what they had to offer , thus taking to the Training Hall where another butler greeted them. Again, this one looked like the one that served them… if he was a girl. "Good morning, sir," she spoke to him, giving him a bow. "The weapon closet is over there. I shall hold on to your other items as you train. If you wish to duel, have no fear, as all these blades will leave no injuries on your foe, just paint." Giving a nod, he gave her his small bag before heading inside… just to see Karma.

His confident voice was ear-grating as he bragged about fending off a mass of bandits with the house teachings the Karma family trained in, playing with the knife in hand as he told so as if it was a mystical item. While the kids were mesmerized, Douken only sighed as he went to the weapon closet, taking out an imitation dagger with an ethernal blade, solid enough to be visible, but also carrying a night sky sort of look to it, defining itself away from your common steel, before heading over to where the story was being told. "Funny," he interrupted. "but last I checked, no bandit would be willing to cooperate so easily to such circumstances, house rank or not."

"Ah, but you were not there, my friend. These bandits were savage, but honorable, just like how we should be, was his reply, filling the air with praise but his eyes stared at him in disgust, clearly feeling insulted that such common blood interrupted his tale.

"Oh really? Then why not show them what happened? You can you, the hero of your tale, while I shall be your bandit." As the challenge was issued, Douken's middle finger on his left hand began to charge with mana as he began tracing a crest in his palm, knowing it was going to be an extremely rough-looking rune…

"Very well! We may talk all we like, but if you wish to demonstrate than so be it… For it will allow me to put you in your place."

With everything set up, the two took their positions on the open mat, weapons in hand. "Now then, the first thing to do is to properly greet your foe with a bow," he told the kids as he bowed to Douken. "… This is where you bow ba–" His muttering was interrupted as he looked up to see Douken not following along. Instead, Douken turned his palm towards his foe, letting out a quick flash of light. While it was enough to quickly blind the directed target, the flash alone was enough to cause commotion with the crowd before Douken ran in close, wrapping an arm around Karma to prevent his escape and driving the ethernal blade into his side, leaving no harm to him except for the purple mark on his suit, being sure to stay there until everyone grasped the situation before pulling the weapon out. It was around this time when Mazerine stepped into the hall.

"This is why your tale is rubbish," Douken said before turning over to the kids. "You see, no bandit would ever partake in an honorable duel. They live in hostile situations, ever desperate to keep themselves fed. Rarely do they do it out of the joy, but more for the need to live another day. Is it illegal? Yes. However, it is every man's wish to see tomorrow. Now then, if you really want to avoid a bandit attack…"

As Douken went on to tell the kids what should have been done, Karma was looking at the mark before looking up at Douken. "You… monkey… you think you have made a fool out of me?!" Holding his hand out, Karma was quick to summon a blade of steel as his eyes were laced with rage as he dashed towards Douken… An eye for an eye… a stab for a stab…

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Fri Dec 8, 2017 12:56 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Mazerine rather enjoyed the conversation the two had, taking turns telling stories about what their respective cultures believed in the stars. The sake with lemons soaking in it tasted rather good, but it was not nearly enough to carry on the bit of a flush her cheeks had picked up at dinner from drinking the wine that had been served with their food.

Sure enough, she set her empty glass down next to his own, watching him as he walked to put a shirt on, her eyes lingering on him for a few seconds. “Sounds good to me,” she said, his yawn becoming contagious as she let one of her own out. “I wonder what else we can find to do on the ship,” she said, her voice taken on a rather absent-minded tone. Of course, she knew that there were plenty of options. She just couldn't be bothered to choose at that particular time.

She wandered over to the bed and climbed in beneath the linens and blankets, soaking in the smooth feeling of the silk sheets. It was a luxury she had been accustomed to when she had been at home in Endapano, but it had been an awfully long time since she had felt anything like it. She gave Douken a soft smile as he slipped in next to her. "Goodnight, Douken," she said, before rolling over onto her side, her back towards him. It had cooled down considerably in the room, so she scooted back slightly so she was closer to him. They were not near enough to touch, though she could feel the warmth radiating from him. Not long after, her eyes closed, and she drifted off into a very restful sleep.

Mazerine awoke to daylight coming in through the room's large windows. She could not be sure what time of day it was, only that it was still fairly early. As she opened her eyes, she realized that in the night, she and Douken had become entangled with one another. She had rolled onto her side to face him, and her top leg had draped itself over his lower half. Her hand had slid up under his shirt and onto his chest, and her head was nestled into the crook of his neck and shoulder. His arm was beneath her, wrapped around the small of her back as though he were holding her to him.

She lifted her head up slightly, able to see that Douken was in a fairly heavy sleep still. She couldn't help but grin to herself and she lay her head back down on his chest, basking in the warmth of his body and the blankets combined together for just a few more minutes. After a bit, she slowly worked his arm down from around her and slipped off of him, sneaking out of the bed without disturbing him. She stood idly near the edge of the bed for a moment, deciding what she would do.

She wasn't hungry, so she opted for heading to the large bathhouse that the ship boasted - though it wasn't any bathhouse, she realized, as she padded barefoot into the establishment with only her pajamas on. It was more like a grand spa, complete with boutiques for new attire. Within moments, she had been whisked away, where a few human women proceeded to bathe her with scented soaps and oils, washing her hair and her skin as though she were about to present herself at court - at least that was what it made her remember.

After she had been pulled from the tub and washed and dried, she was sent to another room, where a rather handsome elven man proceeded to give her one of the most relaxing massages she had ever experienced. From the massage parlor, she was whisked to a boutique, where she argued for several minutes with the drow women who were manning the store. She was adamant that she was to wear pants, but they would have none of it. In their small talk, she had revealed that she had a male traveling companion, to which the ladies shrieked their delight and seemed to make it their goal to make her as beautiful as ever.

Mazerine finally agreed to wear a dress but insisted that it be green, as she always wore green. "Nonsense," the ladies had said, before outfitting her in a stunning sapphire dress that fell in a tea length style, fashioning some rather interesting heeled shoes onto her feet. She was then tossed into a styling room, where her hair was done into curls cascading down her shoulders, and makeup was applied to her face. "Now you'll look the part… and your 'traveling companion' will appreciate it," said one of the drow women, smirking at her - the emphasis on her phrase indicating that she could sense something when Mazerine had been explaining who she had been traveling with.

As she walked down one of the large halls of the ship, she could see that the women were right - many people were already dressed in finery as she was, both men and women alike. As she walked, she heard a commotion coming from one of the nearby corridors, and the explorer inside her felt the need to check out what was causing such a ruckus. She saw the sign above the hallway that indicated it was a training area and proceeded with caution as she pushed open the doors to see just what was happening.

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Dec 5, 2017 3:33 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

By the time Mazerine stepped back into their main region of the room, Douken had already thrown out what he brought with him before he worked himself out of the suit, setting the set out much better than the suit before, considering it was being borrowed, though it did mean when she came up, he was in his boxers throwing on some sleeping slacks as the door rang with a knock. Douken watched from where he sat, seeing the butler pour the drink from a short, yet fat bottle stuffed with thin lemon rings, which gave the rice wine a yellow tint. It was clear it was not a lot in there, considering with the lemon slices, the two drinks took up around half the bottle.

Taking the glass in hand, Douken smiled to her cheers, clanging glasses together before taking a sip, feeling the sour punch hit him much harder than it should, considering the amount of sweet they had for dessert. Hearing her talk about a small game they had, Douken could not help but chuckle. "Guess there are some things in our cultures that are the same," he chuckled, though it was more crude chalk drawing than it was with quill and ink.

Watching her stare out the window, Douken pushed himself out of his seat, walking behind Mazerine without his shirt on before looking out as well. "Its always amazing. Even when work is rough and hard to find, it always feels worth it sleeping under the star-filled sky… Oh, hey!" Holding his hand out to the sky, he said, "That is Hextra, taking on a hydra!" Looking down at her, he locked eyes as she stared back in confusion and curiosity, causing Douken to smirk and his finger to spark with mana. Tracing out out on the window, he connected the dotes in the sky to show forth the constellation before telling his tale. This, in turn, had Mazerine chuckle before pointing another one out and telling an old tale of hers in return, the two enjoying their small drinks as the night turned later.

When the ship began to move into the clouds, Douken let out a yawn, setting his empty glass next to the bottle filled with the thin lemon rings. "Why don't we call it a night?" he asked her, heading out to pick up a shirt and throwing it on. "After all, tomorrow will be our first full day in the sky."

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Tue Dec 5, 2017 1:02 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

As Douken questioned Mazereine at why she was so quick to go for something nonalcoholic, Mazerine’s face turned a deep red that was not brought on by the wine she had with dinner. “I wouldn’t call it shy,” she said softly, nodding as he mentioned it having something to do with the night before. “I don’t want you to think that only happened because I was drinking,” she said, though she immediately began to stumble over her words. “I mean, it did only happen then because we were drinking, but it’s not like I didn’t want it to happen eventually anyway! I mean, I didn’t. Well I did! I just… I don’t want it to happen again just because we’re drinking? But I do want it to happen again… wait… I mean… oh, no. I’m talking too much,” she said, her voice trailing off and her cheeks turning even redder.

She watched as he walked off to order them something to be delivered to their room, a bit surprised that he did, but she didn’t mind. It didn’t sound like it would be enough for them to get as inebriated as they had beforehand, and besides, hadn’t she just made it incredibly awkward with her inability to shield what words she spoke to him?

When they got back to their room, she took a brief moment to pause by the large windows and take in the moon and stars outside, before slipping back to where her belongings were to change out of the dress she had been wearing. After a few more moments, she walked back out into the main area of their suite. She had changed into a long tunic that fell just above her knees as well as a pair of shorts - clearly dressing for comfort rather than style.

Wandering over to the table where Douken had set out a few things, she ran her hand across the cards for a moment, lost in thought about the night before, before she was snapped out of it by a knock at the door. She walked barefoot across the room to open the door, where their butler stood with a silver platter containing the drink that Douken had ordered. He walked in as Mazerine stepped aside, and set the platter on the table near the things that Douken had set out, before pouring out a cup for each of them. He bowed to both of them, bid them a good evening, and left just as briskly as he had arrived.

She glanced back at the items on the table as she grabbed the two cups, handing one to Douken. “Cheers,” she said, tapping her cup against his own and taking a sip of the beverage. It was slightly sweet but sourer than anything - a good offset from the sweet drinks they had with dinner. She looked back at the items on the table. “You know, when I was a kid, we used to play a game where one person would start to draw a picture, and the other would try to guess what it was before they were done drawing it,” she said, picking up the quill and twisting it about her fingers. “It’s not some extravagant drinking game, but it would be entertaining,” she said, giving him a smile, her eyes catching his for a brief moment before she looked away and set the quill back on the table.

She wandered back over to the window as she waited for his response, leaning against the windowsill slightly and looking up at the stars. “The stars look so much bigger up here,” she said offhandedly, clearly finding the sight beautiful. “Brighter, too,” she said, looking back over to him.  "They make me feel really small," she added, with a soft laugh.

Author: Douken, Posted: Mon Dec 4, 2017 6:45 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Even with Mazerine's guidance, it was clear Douken was dancing with two left feet, often working to keep up with the rhythm of the music and his elven partner's movements, once slipping and stepping on her foot. Luckily, as time went on, things did get better, but at the same time, he was getting a bit tired from so much repetitive movement they went through. Same went for the bards, as some rested their instruments down to rest their fingers, leaving those who wanted to perform to play more entertaining music than tunes to dance to.

There was a brief moment when Mazerine caught her eyes on his, a slight blush hitting her cheeks before sliding away, covering it up with a grin, asking about having a drink before bed… Though was quick to jump for a tea instead of anything else. A little odd for her. "Um… Why not a simple wine?" he asked. "After all, when we first met, you were not shy when it came to drinking really strong items like Dwarven brews… and yet here you are, feeling shy with having a simple wine…" Then again, so was he a bit ago, but pulled himself out of it to enjoy for dinner. However, that moment popped into his head… which probably explained why. "Or was it because of…" his face turned flush as he thought about those events, "last night?" It had been nearly an entire night, and it was still a moment the two still seemed nervous about with each other.

As if to challenge her (as well as himself), he stepped up to the counter gave a wave to the bartender, asking, "Is it possible to have a drink delivered to our rooms?" He was given assurance before asked what they wished and where for it to be delivered. "A small bottle of sake limoncello please with two small glasses. Room 213.With a nod, Douken headed back to Mazerine before saying, "Why don't we enjoy the rest of the night by ourselves?"

Headed back over, the brightness of the room was reduced to a dim light, filled by small light cores in the corner and the moon that shined through the window, stars dotting the sky. While he let her step out of the dress (if she wished), Douken dug through his bag to pull out some simple items they could entertain each other with. Cards were the first to hit the table, of course, but it was soon followed by a box of other games and some parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Fri Dec 1, 2017 4:54 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

“Hey!” Mazerine feigned disbelief as Douken snatched the last cherry off of her plate. Of course, she knew it was in retaliation to her own thievery, but she still playfully acted appalled at his actions. When they had finished and decided to check out the activities going on in the lounge before retiring for the evening, Mazerine accepted Douken’s help at standing from the table. She did not necessarily need the assistance, but he had been nice enough to offer so she accepted happily. When they arrived in the lounge area, Mazerine’s face lit up. “Oh, fun!” she said, looking around at the guests who were enjoying drinks together and dancing to the wordless music that the bards were performing. She turned to look at Douken, about to ask him to dance with her, when she saw him awkwardly rubbing at the back of his neck, mentioning that he had never been very adept at dancing. “Oh, rubbish… come on,” she said, grabbing his hand abruptly and pulling him out onto the floor without waiting for him to consent.Once they had reached a vacant space on the dance floor, Mazerine pulled Douken a bit closer to her, taking his hand and placing it around her waist. She took his other hand in hers and held it out to their side, in the same style as the other couples dancing about the floor. “Come now, it’s simple, really! Just follow my steps. See the others around us? As he steps back, she steps forward, and vice versa… and then spin,” she said, attempting to guide him in the manner she had explained. Instead, she took a step forward and rather than stepping backwards, Douken stepped forward into her as well, their bodies bumping into one another.“Oops! No, not like that, Douken,” she said, giggling quietly. “Like this!” she said, attempting to show him once more, choosing not to comment as he somewhat stepped on her foot. He seemed to get a bit better as time went on, though his movement were still somewhat stumbly. She got him to dance through a few songs, before the bards switched the tone of music and it was clear that they were taking a break from playing the numbers the guests usually danced to. She looked up to him briefly as the music faded into something softer, and gave him a soft smile, her eyes locked onto his own, her mind thinking back to the broom closet where he had most certainly tried to kiss her, and she had most certainly been willing to let him. She snapped out of her reverie after a moment, however, and stepped away from him, slipping herself out from his arm still being about her waist. “Well that was fun, and you could have been much worse than you were,” she said, grinning at him. “So,” she began after a moment of silence as the pair walked off the dance floor, standing off to the side slightly. “Shall we have a drink before we head back to the room?” she said. Quickly, she continued speaking. “I mean, just some tea, or something,” she said, offhandedly, glancing away from him. She hadn’t wanted to give him the wrong impression that she wanted to drink a bunch again and have a repeat of the night before, though she was unsure at that point if that would have really been such a bad thing…Her mind snapped back to Douken in the present time and place, waiting to see if he wanted to have a drink or if he just wanted to head back for the night. There were various tables set up with various games where folks could enjoy their beverages while playing, perhaps the pair could have chosen one to play.

Author: Douken, Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 3:23 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

While the initial heat of the gumbo was a shock, it was nothing he could not bear, enjoying the meal with the sweet wine to help counter, yet compliment the spicy stew. When most was done, they pushed forward towards the next meal, being a bird he rarely ate: pheasant. Then again, he doubted they would enjoy meals a "commoner" would enjoy such as a hamburger or chicken. It was about as big as a chicken, but the meat was certainly different, along with the wine, which was made to work with the seasoning of the bird, just like the wine before.

The last meal was a simple desert: chocolate fondue, served with numerous fruits to dip into it. They even set the fondue ablaze a little bit, burning as a vivid purple as it broke away the alcohol inside it before letting the guests enjoy. While they each had their own plates of fruits, the fondue was served on hot plates between the guests by their rooms, placing it as Douken and Mazerine sharing the same pot of chocolate while they enjoyed the sweet dessert. While the alcohol in the fondue was burnt away, the three different wines made his elf partner's cheeks glow a cute pink as he felt her hand lightly rest on his knee, before quickly snapping back, as if it was the inappropriate thing to do. Still, the two enjoyed their own meals until Mazerine tried to sneak her hand over to his plate and take his last strawberry. A move that did go noticed, as he responded by taking her last cherry, grinning at her before dipping it in the chocolate.

Once all the plates were cleared away, they announced the last activity was being hosted in the lounge. Mazerine's eyes locked into his, as if seeing what he would wish to do. "Well, we do have a bit more time to kill before we are guided back into our rooms. Why don't we go ahead and see what they have going on over there?" Getting up, he helped her out before guiding her over to the "tavern" before, except all the tables were either moved to the walls or removed altogether. Bards were near the bar region playing music together, this time vocal-less as the guests danced along to the music, having Douken scratch the back of his neck. "Uh… dancing has never really been my forte…"

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 4:28 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Mazerine had just lifted her glass to her lips to take another drink of water as the woman who emerged from the large doors began to address them. She lowered it back to the table and set it down as quietly as she could, not wanting to disrupt the speech that the woman who had come out had begun. She listened intently as the woman introduced herself and explained who she was, before explaining their first course to them. She grinned as Kristi explained that their first course would be a bit spicy, as she had always favored spicy food over bland.After they had been served, Mazerine began to eat the stew, letting out a laugh as Douken coughed at the after burn of the spice. “Oh, you clearly weren’t prepared for that,” she said, snickering. “I grew up eating spicy food, my father was a big fan of it, as was my brother,” she added, her grin faltering slightly at the memory of her family. She took another bite of the gumbo and chanced a sip of the wine. “Oh… she paired the wine with the gumbo,” she added, nodding in approval before continuing to eat a bit more.When most of the guests had finished their first courses, the staff swept through rather quickly and cleared their plates as well as their wine glasses. The wine was swiftly replaced with another wine - it was clear that the chef was carefully pairing the wines they were served with what . Kristi then came out and explained their next course - a filet of pheasant with some exotic root vegetables. It was served and was rather decadent yet a small portion, which saved room for the guests to enjoy the dessert that they were served shortly after.Dessert came in the form of several kinds of fruit with a hot pot of chocolate to dip it in, as well as a rich, sweet wine. As the pair enjoyed the dessert, Mazerine enjoyed the sweet beverage they had been served so much that her cheeks had turned a bit pink and she found herself a bit giggly. “Oh, I got carried away!” she said to Douken, clapping a hand just above his knee briefly before snapping it away as if she had been burned. “Sorry!” she said, smiling sheepishly. After they finished their desserts, the staff cleared away the dishes from them as well as the remaining guests. The butlers then announced to their individual sections that cordials would be served in the lounge, as well as music for entertainment and dancing, before excusing themselves. Many of the guests left immediately, while some mingled and chatted for a while. Mazerine looked to Douken. “What shall we do?” she asked. She wasn’t sure if he would want to go back to the lounge and participate in the entertainment that was offered, be it a card game or the dancing, or if he would want to go back to the room. She decided that she didn’t care what she ended up doing, and that she would allow him to choose.

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2017 10:19 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

There was almost a bit of regret selling off the clothes they just had before hopping aboard such a luxurious ship, but at the very least their butler knew they were more like well-off adventurers than actual nobles… that, or he went through their items while they toured the ship, seeing the lack of items they had possessed, and went ahead and measured that they had to make sure he had the right items for the two… or he made them in that shorter amount of time to ensure they were ready for the following dinner nights… Either way, impressive butler they had!

It took Douken a moment to get himself dressed in the outfit, though the closeness of the collar had him abandon the key back with his bag. At the very least, the item did not look like an impressive item worth stealing unless they already knew the secret, and with the tool itself being an ancient relic, he doubted many did. Turning his head to the opening of the door, he gave her a nod to her question while adding a moment, "Looks good on you," to it before the pair headed off to the dining hall, decked out with many tables and guests dressed as elaborate as they were: an upgrade of appearance from a mere moment ago.

"Who knows?" Douken replied, his fingers taking a hold of the base of the wine glass, though seemed to dare not do much else with it. However, it did not take long for the pair to get an answer as a woman dressed in white stepped out of the large, double doors.

"Greetings, guests of the Acteon. I am Kristi Ardem, your host to your dinner meals." She was sure to give a bow to everyone with her greeting. "For the next three nights, I shall be the one planning the meals from all over Revaliir to give a taste of the world, crafted by the talented chefs that rest behind these doors. Feel free to enjoy the meals that we provide and to talk with our servers in case issues come along. Now then, we shall start you off with a soup that comes from the Highlands: a chicken and sausage gumbo. This fine, yet chunky dish does have a kick to it, but it is to help wake you all up to enjoy the rest of the meal afterwards. Now please, enjoy."

With yet another bow, Kristi walked back into the kitchen area as waves of servers came through the doors, handing out the dishes. While some guests asked for a milder version of the dish, most were either unphased or took it as a challenge internally and took the dish as is, with Douken and Mazerine being a part of the masses. With steaming bowls in front of them filled with a chunky, thick brown stew-like meal in front, Douken was quick to take a spoonful of it and take it in, slowly taking it in the flavors of the meats, veggies, and rice before swallowing it all down, giving a bit of a sigh. "This is really good," he said before a minor cough came out. "Whew… well, it seems most of the burn is with the aftertaste." Looking over, he went to see how Mazerine was enjoying the dish.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2017 2:28 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Looking up at Douken, Mazerine giggled nervously, though her laughter died off as she felt Douken’s hands began to snake around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. She could feel him moving, but she wasn’t entirely sure what was about to happen, until she could feel his breath warm on her face - it became clearly obvious that he was leaning down with the intent to kiss her.

At the moment she realized what was about to happen, every moment of the night before came flooding her mind and she wanted nothing more than for him to close the final inch between their lips, allowing herself to be leaned back against the wall, his body as close to hers as it could be… until the door wrenched open and the pair were caught off guard by the floor’s butler coming in for a mop, commenting on how they should be elsewhere.

After he left them alone and the pair stumbled out of the closet, Mazerine’s face was an increidbly bright shade of red- but a quick glance at Douken told her that she was not the only one. ”Um. Yeah. Tomorrow,” she said, shuffling her feet rather awkwardly. Silence fell between them, and after a moment Mazerine spoke up again. ”Maybe we should go back up to the suite and get ready for dinner, since we didn’t end up eating anything during tea?” she asked.

When Douken agreed, the pair walked quietly back to their own floor and into their suite. Their butler happened to be present at the moment, dusting a few things. ”Headed to dinner soon, are we?” he asked the pair as they entered, to which Mazerine nodded. ”You’ve your proper attire then?” he asked, eyeing the clothing both of them wore with mild disdain.

”Um, actually, we’re already dressed?” said Mazerine, though it dawned on her that with such a luxury ship, there were obviously a few requirements that they hadn’t thought ahead on. She frowned at the butler, who gave her a dismissive wave of the hand.

”I assume as much. I’ve taken the liberty of laying out garments in the bedroom. I am a good judge of stature,” he cut in as Mazerine opened her mouth to protest. ”You’ve just enough time to change and get to the dining hall before the first course is served,” he added, and with that he let himself out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Mazerine wandered to the bedroom on her own for a moment before coming back a few minutes later, carrying a rather tasteful black tunic and slacks. The tunic had silver cording up the neck, much was the relaxed style of some nobles. ”I think this is for you,” she said, laying it over the back of a chair and walking away without saying anything else to him.

She was gone for a few minutes as she changed, coming out in a rather elegant yet simple black gown that met the floor. Designs were embroidered up each side in the same silver as the cording on the tunic that had been laid out for Douken. The sleeves were full length, coming to a bit of a bell at the hem, and the neckline was low but not plunging. As she walked out, she was tying her hair in a braid over one shoulder. ”Ready?” she asked, standing near the doorway, and the pair exited as soon as Douken replied.

They made their way towards the dining hall - which was set up like an elegant dining room in a fine mansion. Each table was labeled with room numbers, and they found their own - where their butler immediately showed up upon their arrival, pulling Mazerine’s chair out for her. He poured the pair each a glass of red wine and brought them each a glass of water as well, before running off to attend to the other. Mazereine’s eyes drifted to the glasses on the table, lingering on the wine for a moment, before she reached and grabbed the water, taking a long drink before setting it down. ”I wonder what we’ll be served,” she wondered out loud, curious about whether the food would be as fancy as what she had been served back in Endapano. ”I’m actually really hungry,” she said, looking ahead of her - the pair had been seated next to one another rather than across. It was clear she was avoiding eye contact with him, but not conversation.

Author: Douken, Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 10:08 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Well, this was certainly an unexpected turn of events. Sure, they never really thought of a way to handle an emergency, but it was also a plan on the fly along with expecting no one to really be there. All things considered, mid-day was the actual best time for such an act against the former terrible boss. Then again, if the man did not cheat him out of the work he performed in the first place, things would be much different. As for how they handled it… well, it was a tight solution, that was for sure.

The room was nearly pitch black, with mere shapes really outlining what was where. However, it was clearly evident where Mazerine was, feeling her chest pressed against his and her arms around his stomach… While he could not really see her eyes, it was easy to tell where by the shape of the shadow… the shadow whose heat was beating  rapidly with adrenaline from their tight escape… It was beating just like before… like last night… He could picture her smiling and giggling, yet in his mind, her top had vanished within the darkness… along with his own…

His hands started to move on their own, slowly curling around her lower waist as he lowered himself down closer to her. He used his ears to track her mouth… her lips… lead his towards her. There was no real struggle against it as his lean pushed her closer to the wall… her breathe was close to his chin… just a bit closer, and…

The moment was quickly broken as reality spoke back when light flooded the small closet, catching both their attentions away from each other and towards a man in front of them: A butler who looked just like the one that watched their hall… except for the glasses. "Now, while I have nothing against this, one would think your personal room would be a better spot… don't you think?" he asked, reaching his arm around Mazerine's back to grab a mop, pulling away just as quick. "Now then, since you are not guests to my hall, may I ask that you two not make such a mess?" Finishing it off with a bit of a wink, he closed the door once more before walking away.

With the moment passing, the two quickly stepped out, both of them red from it all. "So… uh…. how about we save it for tomorrow…?"

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 3:50 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Mazerine couldn’t help but chuckle at Douken as he mentioned that he prefered iced tea to hot. “I was raised as a noble, as you know, so hot tea and tea services were sort of a rite of passage for us,” she said, sipping on her own tea once again. She grew quiet as Douken began to answer her question, and nearly spilled her tea on herself as she jumped slightly when they were rudely interrupted by a man stepping up to them and addressing Douken.

She was rather taken aback at the comments that the man made towards Douken, and even let out a bit of an indignant gasp when he referred to Douken as a servant to her. She set her cup of tea down as he addressed her, and had just opened her mouth in an attempt to tell him to shove off (in the most polite manner as possible), but he bowed quickly and left them.

Looking back to Douken, Mazerine shook her head slightly as he explained who that man had been. “He seems like an asshole,” she said quietly after he had finished his explanation, using more harsh language than she usually did. “I’ve half a mind to take this tea kettle and crack him over the head with it,” she said, her disdainful gaze locking onto the back of the man’s head. “However, I don’t want to find out what happens to those who commit acts of misconduct when you’re flying through the air, and I’m guessing that you wouldn’t care to find out either,” she said, frowning. She grew quiet and picked her teacup back up, sipping on it with a contemplative expression on her face.

She suddenly spoke up to Douken, turning to face him a bit more, her knee brushing up against his. “I have an idea,” she said, grinning broadly at him. “Maybe I should pay him a visit… he was kind enough to give me his room number after all,” she said, smirking when Douken gave her a look of confusion. “Better yet, we both can!” She chuckled. “Imagine the look on his face when he goes back into his room and we’ve charmed all of his furniture to the ceiling,” she said, giggling quietly. “I’m sure between the two of us we could get the lock undone,” she added. “What do you think?” Douken looked as though he were thinking for a moment before replying to her that revenge sounded nice, and before long the pair had finished up their tea. Mazerine took a pass by the bar to make sure the man was still going to be there for a while - he had a full mug of ale in front him, so chances were in their favor.

They left the lounge and made their way to the third deck of the ship, where the man’s room would be located. Luckily, it was mid afternoon so most of the ship’s inhabitants were taking part in leisurely activities rather than hanging out in their rooms, so the hallway was deserted. A few moments later they had found the room- room 324. They gave each other a quick glance and Mazerine knelt down near the keyhole, whispering something. However, before she could finish her incantation, they heard footsteps beginning to echo down the corridor. “Oh no,” Mazerine said under her breath, glancing around the hallway for an out. If they were to be questioned as to what they were doing, they wouldn’t be able to present a key to prove they were supposed to be in that part of the ship.

There was a small utility closet across the hall from the pair, to which they quickly darted over and opened the door. The two slipped inside and shut the door, the closet offering hardly enough room for both of them to be inside. They were facing each other and were so close that their bodies were against one another, and Mazerine glanced at the door, listening for the footsteps. She couldn’t hear them at the current moment, and turned to look up at Douken, smiling and giggling quietly at the situation they had gotten themselves into.

Author: Douken, Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 4:13 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Douken sat next to Mazerine in the small love sofa, big enough to give enough space for maybe their hands, though their knees able to touch when they both sat turned inwards to face the table as the small platter was placed in front of them. A simple way to starve off hunger before the dinner hour, at the very least. Still, it gave the pair a small amount of time until their waitress returned with their platter, carefully resting him on the table before giving them time alone. This led Mazerine to serve them their drinks, as if allowing them to go as simple or crazy as they wish.

While his elf partner took some sugar in with her drink, Douken cupped up his cup, stating, "I prefer mine a bit more bitter," before taking a sip… though not much before adding in, "and iced," with a bit of a chuckle. Still, it seemed the taste of the tea put her into a bit of memory lane, as she reminisced quietly about her time back home, only telling him a small statement before asking him about his him. "There are times where I do miss the small community. Sometimes, it gets too noisy, but nothing anyone can't really han–"

"Well, well, well," a voice cut him off, a man stepping forward boldly during their conversation. "Who would have thought you, of all people, would be able to afford a ticket on such an elaborate vessel  such as this. Either you managed to get quite the job, or you have dug yourself down to the level of 'servant' for the madam next to you. NO matter, for it is not my business what you folk do with your lives." While Douken's face looked like he rolled with the words the man before him stated, his eyes shined a major distaste for the man. One he did not care for as his smug demeanor was swept away to a more charming one as he turned to Mazerine. "If you wish to spend time with better company than a simple commoner during these travels, I offer to you my company. Room 324. Knock, and I will be sure to answer." With a quick bow, he left the two alone, heading back to one of the hard tables.

"Then again, any lifestyle is better without dealing with a man such as him…" he muttered before taking more of a gulp of the hot drink than a simple sip. Concerned and confused, he heard her ask who the man was. "Duke Tridere Karma, Third in the Karma household and sees himself as quite the business executive. Working with him, he will make you you remember that." Turning his gaze away the the tables, he rather place his focus at Mazerine. "I had a deal with him once. He told me to seek out a large iron mine as they were running low on stock. I find a good-sized one and report back, and he cuts me off, stating it did not meet his requirements, and paid me only a quarter of the bill he promised. Few days later, you hear him glorifying a grand find of ore, placing them into a major surplus thanks to Lady Luck being on his side. He probably only remembers me because he was the last job I had before I ran into you during that storm."

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 1:21 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

"Yeah, too early," she replied offhandedly as the pair walked off of the dome, finally disconnecting herself from him as the got to the doorway.  She hadn't realized how tightly she had been holding on to him - it had seemed instinctual to her, yet at the same time, it was comforting to her in a way.  When they finally stepped through the doors into the tavern - or at least what the ship referred to as a tavern, Mazerine could not help but smile.  It was as though she had stepped into her life in Endapano when she had still been living as a noble.  

The patrons were dressed in fine attire - nothing overly fancy, but certainly more well dressed than she and Douken were.  At the current moment, that did not really matter to her - it didn't seem to draw anyone's attention to them, as everyone in the lounge was more engrossed in their own conversation and games than they were in new people entering.  "You'd be right," she said as Douken commented on what he thought the area was most likely used for as a regular occurrence.  "But this is also how some nobles spend their leisure time.  They're incredibly rich already, and they don't have work to do, so what else are they going to do?" she said, shrugging.  "Most nobles don't want to go out and explore things like I do," she added.  "Come on!" she said suddenly, grabbing Douken's hand and pulling him towards the main counter area of the lounge.

When the two found an empty area, they sat on the comfortable stools - much more cushioned than those that would be found in the average tavern.  A well-dressed woman walked over to them to take their order.  "Hm," said Mazerine, as it dawned on her that this would be much more of a selection than she had been offered as of late.  "Do you do full tea service?" she asked the woman, who nodded respectfully in response.  Mazerine grinned at her.  "We'll take a full rose hip tea service, then, if you don't mind," she asked. 

"Right away, miss.  Please, find a comfortable table and I will bring it out to you." The woman bowed her head at each of them before bustling off to gather the things necessary for what Mazerine ordered.  

Most of the smaller tables were taken up, but when the pair got up from the bar area Mazerine found one.  It was a small sofa, enough room for two people to sit comfortably as long as they did not mind being somewhat close to one another.  A table stretched in front of it.  "This will work," said Mazerine, and she sat down on one side, allowing plenty of room for Douken to join her.  Within a few minutes, the woman they had ordered from came out with a silver tray.  On the tray was an intricate porcelain kettle with steam rising from it, as well as two matching cups on saucers.  There was a pure silver decanter on the tray as well, along with a container of sugar cubes and a few other accouterments that
could be added to the tea.  There was also a small plate of assorted sandwiches and fruits. 

Mazerine leaned forward and took one of the cup and saucer sets and set it in front of Douken, doing the same for herself.  She proceeded to pour the piping liquid from the kettle into each of their cups, which was light pink in color.  "It's tea brewed from rose hips," she explained as she poured it. "It was a favorite of mine back in court," she continued.  "This," she said, picking up the silver decanter and pouring a small amount into each of their cups of whatever deep crimson substance was within.  "This is wine from Endapano.  You don't put it in to drink as a beverage when you want to get drunk," she added.  "It just accentuates the flavor of the tea.  We even give this to the children," she said, glancing at Douken and smiling at him as she set the decanter down.  She grabbed a lump of sugar and dropped it into her own cup, looking down as the warm liquid quickly dissolved the sugar.  "I like mine a little sweeter," she admitted, before taking a small sip.  

She closed her eyes and smiled as she swallowed. "Tastes like home," she said, softly - for a brief moment showing that she actually missed her homeland.  She looked over at Douken as she took another sip.  "I haven't had this since I left court," she added, her smile fading.  "But, it's just as good as I remember it."  She grew quiet for a brief moment.  "Do you ever miss your home?" she asked him, looking up at him over the steaming cup in front of her. 

Author: Douken, Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 11:49 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

While it was amusing see Mazerine cling so closely to his, it did make his heart beat a bit more rapidly. The way she wrapped herself around him, bosom wrapped around his arm if it wasn't for her top… No! Stop thinking about that! he had to remind himself, trying to break himself away from that night. However, that did not stop him from thinking how cute she looked as she held onto him as a support so she wouldn't fall… or how cute she looked in general…

Her words caused him to snap back to reality with a quick, "Huh?" before registering her words. "Oh, yeah, sure. Besides, I think it may be too early before we got a bit crazy with the drinks, don't you think?" he chuckled before guiding the two off of the glass done while thinking back on the map. "Let's see… I think most of the non-living areas reside on the first floor, so we stick to where we are, we should be fine." Still, as they walked down the halls, Mazerine still clung to his arm as they walked through the hall before finally reaching the door, letting go either not to leave an impression, or so they could fit through the door.

Inside felt a bit… odd… to Douken. After all, it was a tavern docked with many bottles and barrels, but there was hardly any noise that echoed on the walls like the party-driven commoners who came for a good time. NO, it was filled with a bit more peaceful chatter as the guests here worse a bit more formal outfits. Nothing too extravagant to draw attention, but enough to show how well off they here, some even using it to bolster their family crests as they carefully enjoyed their drinks of ale, wines, and tea with the occasional spirit here and there. The room was also quite spacious as well with few tables in the middle where guests played multiple types of gambling games, obvious ones to tell were poker, hold 'em, and black jack, while others sat at the bar enjoying simple conversation with either each other or one of the two bartenders working behind the counter. It was strange not hearing the rambunctious yell of a wild man in the middle of the talk and coin that filled the air. Still, something floated in his mind.

"If I was a betting man," Douken said, standing next to Mazerine, "I would say this place was more for dances and fancy get-togethers rather than drinking and gambling."

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 10:19 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Mazerine had no choice but to follow Douken down, though she did land a pretty solid smack on his arm when she reached him.  "Sometimes you're not very nice, you know that?" she said to him, pouting a bit before glancing out at the glass around them.  It made her rather nervous, her heart beginning to beat heavily in her chest.  She was caught slightly off guard as he grabbed her hand, but she gripped his tightly as he led her out over the thick glass, glancing down at the blue echoes that resonated with each step the pair took.

Instinctively, she moved close to Douken, gripping his hand tightly and wrapping her other arm around his arm as though she were using him as a support system - which was most certainly the case.  She made the mistake of looking down, letting out a small sound and clinging tighter to him, any awkwardness she would have felt due to the previous evening being gone.  Instead, she felt safer clinging to him, as though he were some sort of safety net for her.

His words were rather reassuring to her, as he described the magic that had been cast over the floor, and she began to feel herself relax every so slightly, though she did not remove herself from right next to him.  She finally managed to look down, and through the breaks in the clouds, she could see the beginning of what was quite possibly the ruins that they had traversed only days before.  She had to admit to herself, it was rather beautiful.  

"It's… really pretty… once I can get over the fact that I could break through this glass at any moment and plummet to my death," she said, glancing up at him.  It was clear that she was not going to let go of him until they were far clear from the glass dome, if even then.  The ship made her a bit nervous, but she was sure that after a day or two that the nervousness and fear would subside.  "It's… breathtaking," she said quietly after a moment, inadvertently tilting her head to rest it against Douken's shoulder as she looked around.  For a brief moment, she forgot about all of the awkwardness the previous day had brought.  

After a few more minutes, she spoke up, not letting go of him yet.  "I think we should go see the big tavern they told us about," she said, her voice becoming slightly excited.  "I mean, we don't have to drink at all… I just want to see it," she said, shyly, hoping that Douken didn't think she was suggesting it because she wanted to have a repeat of the previous night - not that she would have been completely opposed to the idea, but she was not willing to admit that to herself, let alone to him - not yet anyway.  "What do you think?" she asked, wanting to get his opinion.

Author: Douken, Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 9:29 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Douken could not prevent the spurt of laughter escape his lips when she read the last bottle so boldly, yet his cheeks glowed from the embarrassment as well. It was only a question of what she spoke with the chemist about to even make the other think about offering such an item as a gift. At the very least, though, they had some protection next time things happened? No, no, no! Douken thought to himself, shaking his head hard as if to throw away that idea. That was an accident. Nothing else. We did not come here for that… Luckily, it seemed she had her own debate to distract her from his, internally sighing as Mazerine aimed to tour the vessel together. After all, a map was nothing in terms of actually seeing what the ship was like.

And their first stop was a pretty big one: the Viewing Dome. It seemed all halls connected to here through stairs lowering down to a base floor, where tables rested near the edge of the panel for those who wanted to get a close enough view, though nothing stopping those more adventurous from stepping over the connections and onto the thick glass. A sight Mazerine did not want much of as she offered to see the next area right away. "Aw, c'mon now. This is one of the main reasons why people pick this airship. You saying you don't want a closer look at the mountain ranges?" She turned her eyes away from him as he headed down the stairs. "Fine. Guess I will just head down there myself, experiencing the glory of the Acteon's most defined feature all by myself. Me, a simple man, about to take a step that a noble woman dares not." It seemed that was point where Mazerine fumed enough to give chase, going after him as he headed down to one of the lower tables, where he waited for her… and got smacked for. To him, though, it was worth it as they were mere inches away from the thick glass.

"See, was that so hard?" he chuckled. "Just a few more steps, and we can be sitting right above the Ruins we just explored. Now, c'mon." Stretching his arm out without thinking, he took a hold of her hand and pulled her over the welds and bolts that separated them from the wooded flooring to the thick glass, blue pulses resonating from where their feet stood. "They also added extra strength protective magic on these panels to make sure we could do this as safely as possible. Trust me, it will take a LOT of force for us to fall now."

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 8:35 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

Mazerine moved back to the window, feeling a bit more stable on her feet now that the rumbling had stopped on the ship.  She looked out, eyes widening at the sights around her, watching the city disappear slowly below them.  "This is so amazing," she said breathlessly, taking in the sights.  She stood there, enraptured by the view until the clouds shielded the city completely.  At that point, she turned and gave Douken a quick grin before walking over to her bag as she had been planning on earlier.

She fished the small crate of potions and tinctures she had purchased from the apothecary and sat down on the floor, her legs spread out and the crate in front of her.  "So, I got a few things," she explained again as she set out the different containers.  "This one is a salve for sore muscles, and this one is for headaches and migraines," she said.  "And this is the one she gave me for air sickness."  She pulled out another container, looking at the writing on the paper label around it.  "And this one is for removing the risk of conception during copulation,"  she said, reading the label word for word.  She let out a little gasp and her face turned red as she realized what exactly it was that she had just read.  She cleared her throat slightly. "I think maybe she gave me something by mistake," she said, her voice quiet and awkward as she shoved all the containers back into the crate and stored it back away, getting up off the floor.

"I want to go look at the ship," she said, after walking back towards Douken.  "Come with me?" she asked, trying to give him a smile without looking too awkward considering what she had just read off the bottle from the apothecary.  When he obliged, the pair walked out into the hall and throughout the ship.  The first room they came to was the glass dome, where they could view the sky and the surroundings.  Mazerine paused in the doorway.  "Maybe we should look at a different part," she said, sounding a bit hesitant as she looked at the portion of the floor that was made of heavy glass.  

Author: Douken, Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:03 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

"Completely," Douken said, not even looking at Mazerine cowering at the floor in front of him, instead gazing at the massive propeller from his view of the window. "First , the generators need to kick in, which allows the ship to get the lift it needed. Once it has gotten high enough, it works to stabilize before it begins its actual journey." Once the propellers were spinning at full pace, the rumble looked like it was worsening as the world outside shook, falling away from them before the scene smoothed out, though not before letting the port below them to shrink. Still, watching the elf before him try to wash off that panic as if nothing happened made Douken chuckle and smile at her, both knowing her reaction a mere moment beforehand.

"I am sure things will be alright," he assured her. "These hulls are made to make sure its customers are safe. After all, imagine how many important heads could be inside a vessel like this?" Still, he was sure that the alchemist was a kind heart… In fact, it could have been possible the two saw the same woman at different parts of the day. The only real question that was left was the mystery bonus bottle she was given, as it seemed not even Mazerine had looked at it. Hopefully, she was not a jerk to give her an unmarked bottle. Make it really hard to tell if it was a poison or a cure.

Watching her get up, Douken started, "Uh, Maz–" though that was all he could get out as the ship gave one final rumble, catching her off guard and mid-step, throwing the poor elf into Douken's lap. Douken's face turned a bit red as well, his mind flashing back to her that night as well before she slipped to the floor. "It's alright," he told her, offering a hand up as a bell rang through the cabins, along with the captain's voice.

"We are now in the safety range. You are now free to roam around as we leave the city limits."

Douken, letting a small chuckle, stood up before setting Mazerine back to her feet before looking out the window. "You may want to take a look now, because in a few moments, a sight like this will become impossible," he told her, the view of Adeluna in full was coming into view while vanishing at the same time as the ship grew higher and further away.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 6:13 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

"This is so exciting," Mazerine said as she walked to the seat in front of Douken and sat down.  She did not remain seated for long, however, for in her excitement she clamored onto her knees, nearly pressing her face against the window so she could see outside the ship.  After a moment, however, she looked over her shoulder and realized that the position she had put herself into was mostly blocking Douken's view.  "Oops… sorry," she said, and resigned to sitting back down in her seat - though she was craning her neck in an effort to see as much as she could out the window.

After a few moments, the ship began to depart from its docking station - and this scared Mazernie to high heaven.  The movement of the ship rumbled throughout the entire suite they were in, and to Mazerine it felt like they were in the middle of an earthquake.  She let out a squeal and slid out of her chair and onto the floor, bringing her knees up near her chest.  She dipped her head down and tucked it in between her knees, her muffled voice calling out to Douken.  "Is this normal?" she asked, the tone of her voice making it painfully obvious that she did not expect such commotion just from the movement of the ship.

After several minutes when the ship had gained some altitude, Mazerine lifted her head back up and looked around.  Upon seeing that the room was not in shambles as she had halfway expected it to be, she lifted her head back up and hoisted herself back up into her chair.  "You know, they really should warn people about that shaking," she said, trying to be nonchalant but it was clear she was still a bit shaken.

Once the rumbling had ceased, Mazerine made another comment.  "When I stopped at the alchemist I bought some tincture that's supposed to help with air sickness I guess?  Maybe it will help me with my nervousness, too.  I picked up some other medicine.  That alchemist was so kind.  She asked where we were traveling to and I told her the whole big story about us exploring together," she added.  Of course, she had left out some of the finer details.  "She even gave me an extra potion, free of charge," she added, having an afterthought about said potion when she realized she had yet to even see what the potion was.  She would have to check that out at some point - maybe it would come in handy on their trip, she thought.

She got up from her seat in an attempt to go to her luggage where it had been set down and grab the sickness potion, and the ship shifted slightly.  Her legs wobbled beneath her after just a few steps and she toppled into Douken's lap, landing perpendicular to him with one hand on his chest, bracing herself.  She looked up at him through a few strands of hair that had fallen loose from her braid, blushing slightly and giving him an awkward glance as a brief flood of memories of the night before barraged her mind.  "Oh!" she cried out as she fell.  "Sorry…"  She looked up at him apologetically.

Author: Douken, Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 3:38 PM, Post Subject: Crossing Landscapes Above the Clouds [P, R]

A high class airship, decked with exquisite and exotic decor, elaborate rooms and scale, filled with high ranking nobles and their servants…. and yet there they were, room 213, in which a simple commoner who enjoyed sleeping under the stars and an elf who acted like an innocent child as she readied herself for her first flight. While Mazerine ran around the room, they were told to not start unpacking until they were given the okay, just in case the rattling of the take off would disturb what they pulled out, especially if it was fragile. Still, they at least had a pamphlet to look over the ship as they prepared to take off.

The ship itself had a couple stories worth of rooms alongside its own dining room for well-made dinners, a tavern stocked with exotic drinks from all over, ranging from the mead created in the Highlands of Canelux to the unique rice wine called sake that came from the land of Nisshoki in Parvpora. They also had plenty of space for the guests to gamble simple games with each other and other more formal activities and a personal space for those who were impatient and desired to practice their sword-arms or spells, even giving a proper ring for formal duels to occur. On each floor was a separated bath room for those who desired to get cleaned up during the four day, three night travel they were set out to partake in.  Finally, near the bottom front of the ship was a fortified glass dome, allowing those not afraid to look down to see the sea and land below them as they sailed through the air in the safety of the ship, some seeing if they can catch any of the underwater guardians that slept below the rough waves.

A ring soon echoed as the pair looked over the map before a voice echoed in their chamber. "Hello, and welcome to our beautiful Acteon. I am your pilot, Sir Karhold, the Third, and I am glad to have all of you with us for the following few days. We will be departing port in five minutes, so we ask everyone to make sure they are properly situated as we take off and please, enjoy yourselves with us. Thank you," before the room went silent once more.

"You ready for this?" Douken asked, heading over to one of the windows and taking a seat nearby to watch the take off, leaving a seat in front of him open.